


Cramped

by indefensibleselfindulgence



Series: tactile empathy [1]
Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Anxiety, Fluff, Gen, Hair Braiding, M/M, Sharing a Bed, Sleepovers, Technically?, tiniest amount of angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-11
Updated: 2018-12-01
Packaged: 2019-08-21 14:46:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,255
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16578533
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/indefensibleselfindulgence/pseuds/indefensibleselfindulgence
Summary: “Would it be a bother if I spent the night here?”





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> caduceus/caleb good

“Mr. Caleb.”  
  
They're all but set for the night, the others already squared away in their own cabins, when Caduceus comes knocking. He has to duck his head down, just a little bit, to fit, and Caleb feels like he should apologize on behave of the rest of the crew.  
  
“Mr. Clay.” He says back.  
  
Nott is already in bed with Frumpkin, and both of them are waiting for him to take his coat and boots and books off and join them. After months of being tucked into awkward corners and cold and damp places they've started sharing a bed regardless of the options available and the closeness and warmth that comes from his traveling companions is a simple pleasure.  
  
“Would it be a bother if I spent the night here?”  
  
“Did you and Fjord have a fight?” He steps out of the doorway and Nott doesn't sit up to listen. They've had a long day.

A lot of water.  
  
“I don't feel real comfortable there. Right now- Fjord's fine.”  
  
“Well, we have a bunk, if you want it.”  
  
The bunk is way too small for him to fit- it's kind of hard for Caleb to fit without his half his legs sticking off the edge and he's at least a head shorter.  
  
“Caleb?” He kicks his boots off and drops his coat and books off like he was planning too. “Oh- Mr. Clay!” Nott's ears twitch. “Are you and Fjord fighting, Mr. Clay?”  
  
“We're not fighting.” He says, and Caleb watches him awkwardly try and lie down, knees dangling off of the edge the cot. “We're just having moral differences.”  
  
Nott scoots up against the wall of the ship to give Caleb room, and he sits down, Frumpkin headbutting into his side.  
  
“Moral differences?”  
  
Caduceus doesn't answer right away, first twisting in bed – on his side, then his back. He gives up, it seems, face in his pillow.  
  
“It's- complicated.” His tail swishes against his legs, uncomfortable, and Nott looks at Caleb. “A lot of things are complicated.”  
  
“Like beds,” Nott says, and Caduceus nods into his pillow.  
  
“I'd offer to bring them together so that you could at least lie diagonally but they're mounted to the walls.”  
  
“We could sleep on the floor?” Frumpkin makes his way across the distance and onto Caduceus's back, up to his neck and purring loudly. “Borrow spare blankets?”  
  
“Do you know where they are?” He asks, and she's already up and pulling her mask on and rushing out the door.  
  
“You don't have to-”  
  
“Sleepover.” He intones, and once he's sure Nott is out of earshot, he straightens up. “What moral differences?”  
  
“The last time I told you something it got out.”  
  
“Ah-” He smiles. “And if I promise to be more careful?”  
  
“That would be nice, wouldn't it?”  
  
Caleb sits down on the floor, back to the bunk and pats the space next to him. When Caduceus sits down, his legs almost hit the opposite wall. The half-light of the lantern glints off of his pretty armor. He hasn't exactly spent a lot of time close to him, but now that he is he notices the patches of pink fur. It looks soft to the touch, but Caleb has enough self-respect to control himself.  
  
“Need help taking it off?” Maybe not that much. “Your armor, I mean.”  
  
“I've got it.” Caduceus says. Caleb watches him tug at two clasps, and the chest plate loosens down his chest. “Why don't you wear armor?”  
  
“What?”  
  
“You get hurt a lot; I was just wondering. You have the money for it.”  
  
“Ah- I don't, actually.”  
  
“Nott would buy it for you.”  
  
“She shouldn't have to.”  
  
“Ah.” He mimics the sound back, and Caleb almost feels like he's being insulted. “I can buy you armor when we're in town. So she doesn't have to.”  
  
“What-”  
  
“If you want to go down less,” Caduceus explains as if that's the issue.  
  
“Trying to get out of work?”  
  
Caduceus just laughs.  
  
Nott comes back- or rather a large clump of blankets comes back with Nott behind them. She dumps them on the floor unceremoniously.  
  
“Good?” She asks.  
  
“Don't imagine it getting better,” Caduceus tells her, and she beams, mask set on the nightstand.  
  
Caduceus apparently usually sleeps naked. For their mutual benefit, he keeps his small clothes on even when Nott nudges Caleb's ribs and waggles her eyebrows at him.  
  
The arrangement isn't ideal, and if Caduceus wants a repeat of tonight, they're going to have to plan ahead, but they end up lumped together, Nott half sprawled on Caleb, Frumpkin on Caduceus's shoulders, and they both end up on their sides, pressed back to front.  
  
Caleb wears his shirt through the night and Caduceus doesn't ask. He probably doesn't need too.

It's hot, with three warm things pressed against him while he's covered in blankets laying on the floor. His legs kick out.  
  
“You're very soft.” He whispers when he hears Nott's breathing level out.  
  
“I get that a lot.”  
  
“From who?”  
  
“Trees mostly.”  
  
“Do they tell you you're warm too?”  
  
“You're funny, Mr. Caleb.”  
  
At some point, Caduceus levels out too, and his heart slows a little bit. Caleb can feel it. One of Caduceus's arms founds its way around Caleb's waist. It's like being enveloped in a very comfortable blanket. His legs press against Caleb's as well- they're pressed against each other even if they don't need to be. There's room enough on the floor.  
  
It's comfortable enough that they end up sleeping in. 

Beau breaks the door down horrified that their Captain slit their throats while they slept and Caleb has to remind her about the Alarm. When she can function again she takes one look at the sleeping arrangements and elbows him in the ribs. Nott brushes past his legs to head in to the kitchen and Beau follows after her making faces until she's out of view. Caleb sighs with an odd fondness and kneels back down on the blankets to shake Caduceus awake. 

"Come on big guy. It's the afternoon."

Caduceus' eyes open slowly, one at a time and Caleb watches his pupils dilate before he blinks again and stretches.

"Good morning, Mr. Caleb."

"Good morning Mr. Clay."


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Ja, Nott- What is it?”
> 
> “About- About tomorrow.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> back at it again with the mindless fluff interlude scene 
> 
> still not beta'd

“Caleb. Caleb. Caleb. Caleb. Ca-”  
  
“Ja, Nott- What is it?”  
  
They're getting ready for bed again, and he's pretty sure he knows exactly what's bothering her before she even has to ask. Now that Avantika is taken care off, now that it's their ship with their crew and they don't have to worry about whispering and worrying about every sound they make, their quarters are more comfortable.  
  
Caduceus still sleeps with them, even if his room is his own now. Fjord decided to take the Captain's quarters. Caleb understands, somewhat, why he would. But their crew is smaller, and smaller crew means more blankets and more pillows to pile on top of their pile.  
  
“About- About tomorrow.” So what he thought then.  
  
Caduceus is still finishing brushing the kitchen down after dinner, and they're alone for the time being.  
  
“Ja, Nott the Brave. Our little swim tomorrow.”  
  
She scrambles into his lap, back pressing to his front and pressing a shiny brush she must have stolen from Avantika's room.  
  
“I'm going to push you overboard.” She hisses.  
  
“I'm only joking.” He says while he takes it out of her tiny hand and parts her hair to start running a brush through it. “You know you don't have to.”  
  
“I-” She fidgets with her hands. “What if you get hurt.”  
  
“Caduceus is coming with us. And even if he isn't, because it's his choice too, ja? Jester will be there.”  
  
“Okay, you're supposed to reassure me.” He smiles.  
  
The brush has fine hairs, and it's sturdy, well made, but after months of Nott's hair as far from water as she could keep it and all of the salt in the air, it catches a few times, and he has to tug. She groans under her breath every time and swats at his leg every time he bumps her ears with it.  
  
“Am I not reassuring?”  
  
“I don't want to go in the ocean, Caleb.” She says slowly. “I feel like I'm going to die if I go in the ocean.”  
  
“Well. That is tricky.” He says and keeps brushing her hair because she rarely gets serious, and when she does, he has to be careful with his words. “Even if I'm with you?”  
  
“I-” He can hear her claws clacking against each other. “I don't know.”  
  
“You have nightmares about it, ja?” She nods slowly. “Is it because of something that-”  
  
The door to their cabin opens, and Caduceus takes to steps inside before turning to stare at both of them.  
  
“Should I come back later?”  
  
“No,” Nott says. “Are you going to go in the ocean tomorrow, Mr. Clay?”  
  
“Ah-” He says slowly and closes the door behind him. “I'd like to see it, I think. But I don't want to, not really.”  
  
“See!” She twists around and jabs her hands into Caleb's chest.  
  
“I'm not saying-”  
  
“You're not going to swim tomorrow, Nott?” Caduceus asks, pulling his boots off by the door.  
  
“Oh don't you start.” She hisses. “This is collusion.”  
  
“Do you want a braid or not?” Caleb asks and nudges her back down.  
  
“If I wanted a braid I'd ask Jester.” She fumes quietly. Her nod is tiny, and Caleb pretends not to notice it, running his fingers through hair, trying to get the bigger knots out that way.  
  
“She doesn't like the water.”  
  
“I don't like the water either.”  
  
Caleb looks up to meet his eyes, and it's as genuine as everything else Caduceus says. Huh. Molly's neckless glints in the candlelight. It looks good on him.  
  
“I'm not a fire person myself.” He says. “But I still use it. Because I'm good at it.” She goes still, hand squeezing his knee. “Sometimes it can be nice though. When it's cold. Or for light.” He says slowly, almost like he's reminding himself, and maybe he is.  
  
When he went catatonic a few days ago because he smelled human fat burning again, he had to take a few days to remind himself.  
  
“There are good uses for water,” Caduceus says, and Caleb is glad he can stop talking. “Cleaning. Cooking.”  
  
“Yeah. Drinking.” But her flask is on the table a fair few steps away from them.  
  
“The fish live in it,” Caduceus says slowly. “And they're very kind. Easily distracted though.”  
  
“Done.” Caleb finishes her braid and rolls it into a bun for her. Her fingers run over the back of her neck, and he can feel her heart rush with excitement. Excitement or fear.  
  
“That's very nice,” Caduceus says, and sits down in their nest of blankets. “Don't suppose you'd do me next, Mr. Caleb?”  
  
“I don't mind. Nott, you're okay?”  
  
“With my hair or in general?”  
  
“Either or.” Caduceus has a lazy smile on his face, tail swinging in slow, calm patterns that hypnotize both of them too easily.  
  
“I like my hair. Thank you, Caleb.” She kisses his forehead before he can say anything else, picking up Frumpkin in her arms and falling onto the pillows. “Ow.”  
  
He shakes his head while Caduceus scoots over and Caleb runs his fingers through the man's hair. It's very well kept, on par with Jester's he's sure. He's gentle with the brush, gentler then Nott, certainly.  
  
“Did you have sisters?” Caduceus asks, and Caleb's hands stutter in their movements.  
  
“Ah- no. I- I would do this for a friend.”  
  
“Astrid?” Nott sing songs from the pillows.  
  
“Nein- Eodwulf. He had the longest hair.” It was fuller then Caduceus's, but just as silky. Straight and blonde and Caleb has to concentrate on the wavy and pink of it all to not lose himself in the fantom sensations of running his fingers the Wulf's hair in the cold dark mornings.  
  
“He sounds nice,” Caduceus says. “You cared about him.”  
  
“Ja- He was my friend.”  
  
“Was he handsome?” Nott asks.  
  
“Beautiful.”  
  
Caduceus's ears twitch under his attention. He finishes brushing his hair out so much faster then Nott's, but he takes his time with the braid. He must get quiet, but he can focus on the task at hand and not get lost in old bitter memories.  
  
“Nott.” Caduceus's voice almost makes him jump. “We can hold hands tomorrow. In the water.”  
  
She groans, tired and voice just a little high from fear.  
  
“You know with Caduceus coming with us you'll be okay, right? We both will be?” Caduceus nods, patting Caleb's thigh.  
  
“I got both of you first. Like I promised.”  
  
“Promised?” Caleb asks because he can't remember and they brush him off.  
  
“Fine. I guess. If I can drink. And if you'll hold my hand.” She wiggles into the middle of the fabric just as Caleb finishes the braid. It looks a little off, with it only being on one side he should have started it higher, but he's thanked regardless.  
  
“Of course you can.” Caleb moved to settle in next to her on her right side and Caduceus takes her left. Frumpkin purrs right on her chest. “I've got you, ja? And you've got me?”  
  
“Of course I do Caleb.” She seems okay. He hopes she is, at least for the night. “But if Fjord starts talking about fucking buttons again-”  
  
“We'll let him drown.” Caleb finishes for her, and she settles with one last humph.  
  
Caduceus's soft laugh is easy to drift off to.

**Author's Note:**

> comments are always encouraged and very very very appreciated
> 
> .[ talk at me here](http://iamalivenow.tumblr.com/)


End file.
